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As a child, Tom Kleismit, MPA ’05, participated in events during the U.S. Bicentennial in 1976. Fast forward to present day, and he is now the executive director of the , responsible for preparing Ohio for the nation’s 250th anniversary in 2026.

Before that, Kleismit spent 17 years at the non-profit Ohio History Commission and along the way picked up an MPA degree from the Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service.

“The program has stuck with me and helped shape my interests,” Kleismit says. “It’s amazing that I have this opportunity now to lead Ohio's participation in the 250-year celebration.”

Why Voinovich? Based on my career trajectory, public administration seemed like the perfect fit. When I learned about the program at 51����, it seemed that I could continue working while also completing the master's degree on my schedule. This gave me great flexibility.  

Cohort Compadres: I met some lifelong friends during that program. There is a connection or bond between students and faculty. It was always so interesting to learn about the work of my classmates, what they were working on, and jobs that I otherwise wouldn't have had any exposure to, so all of that was super interesting,

The Right Fit: The courses and content matched what was relevant to my work. There was a tremendous nonprofit course because it always seemed like whatever we were discussing in class, I was working on in my career at the time; the intersection between the nonprofit and public sectors. It was very practical and rigorous all at the same time.

The Final Take: It was just what I needed to further my career and connect the dots. Ohio is leaning into this landmark anniversary next year. We've been getting communities and organizations all over the state to start thinking about it, and I'm pleased that all 88 counties have said they will participate!